“As people age, the lens loses its focusing power, resulting in near-vision deterioration. Unable to focus the way we used to, images sent to be processed in the brains’ visual cortex are unfocused and processing is slow and very difficult, resulting in a blurred image.” [Ucansi]

To correct this impairment, the app trains the brain to process blurred images more effectively by teaching users to detect and adapt to patterns called Gabor patches – blurred lines created by different shades of grey.

This of course takes time, but after the initial 3 month training period – 15 minute sessions, 3 times a week – the user learns to recognize and process the blurred lines better, not just on the Gabor patch, but in everything they focus on.

Over the past 3 years the app has been tested on over 100 participants, all of whom suffered from presbyopia, or near-sightedness, with much success. All volunteers reported significant improvements with most saying that after training, they were able to read two lines further down on the optical chart.

GlassesOff was developed by Uri Polat of Tel Aviv University, also co-founder of Ucansi, to help the elderly read without using reading glasses, and let others read without optical aids for longer periods of time.

The app is set to launch on the iPhone early next year, but improved vision won’t come cheap, GlassesOff will cost $95 for the initial 3 months training period, after which time, there will be monthly fees to maintain your eyesight.

The research was presented in September at a meeting of the Entertainment Software and Cognitive Neurotherapeutics Society in San Francisco.